Author: @guiltygyoza; Translation: MetaCat
Question: We don’t want to create best-selling blockbuster games, nor do we want to create artistic independent game works. So what are we doing?
We want to create autonomous worlds and design the underlying systems that govern them.
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Question: What is an autonomous world? How is it different from the games we currently know?
A world consists of laws, underlying operating systems (code, blockchain, nodes, computers), everything created according to the laws, human residents, and non-human residents (such as AI, which can be generated by the system itself or created by human residents following the laws).
The difference between an autonomous world and a game is that an autonomous world runs autonomously, not on a centralized server; the code is immutable, meaning that the laws of the world cannot be tampered with.
The difference between an autonomous world and a game is that the laws are “more fundamental” and not superficial, and they are not limited to the boundaries of a game; most things in the world can be created by following the laws.
For example, creating spells that can be cast and improving the details of the spell effects (pre-casting frames, post-casting frames, attack range, intensity, casting cost, etc.). In an autonomous world, as a “spell craftsman,” everything follows the immutable magical rules of the underlying world, similar to the laws of the universe in our world. In contrast, the skill trees in current games are fixed, officially defined content.
For example, creating drivable vehicles. In an autonomous world, as a “vehicle engineer” or “designer,” all creation methods and design results follow the underlying laws of the world.
Question: Can’t an “autonomous world” be realized through traditional games?
It is very difficult because an autonomous world cannot be controlled by a company, studio, or publisher that has absolute power to modify the settings, laws, or any line of code in the underlying operating system of the world. The development, updates, participation, and maintenance of an autonomous world should follow a model similar to Ethereum. However, the current development methods, marketing methods, content production and consumption structures of games have already been established, making it difficult to achieve substantial innovation within the context and industry structure of “games.”
How many classic blockbuster games have lost players because publishers, agents, or studios arbitrarily added content that went against the players’ wishes or changed the rules?
In other words, an autonomous world is autonomous, and all laws, codes, etc., unless the underlying code has a specifically designed consensus mechanism (which allows certain settings to be modified through consensus among world residents), the entire system is completely immutable. It is a democratic world, a world with stable laws, and a world governed by the rule of law (which refers to the world laws defined and enforced by immutable code).
Stable rule execution supports stable property rights. The created things (using online games as a simple analogy, such as obtained or crafted equipment) cannot be arbitrarily deprived by backend management, and because the world rules cannot be tampered with, things established based on rules, such as attributes and uses, will not undergo unexpected deterioration. Using online games as a simple analogy, this means that the values or effects of old equipment will not lose value compared to new versions or new numerical systems introduced by the game developers.
Decentralized autonomous worlds run on decentralized computing platforms (i.e., blockchain) instead of typical centralized servers, so theoretically they can exist indefinitely. In contrast, online games running on centralized servers can be shut down unilaterally by operators. It is worth mentioning that this touches on the core philosophy of blockchain: to support a financial system that is not subject to centralized political interference and does not experience downtime. Applied to game design, this becomes the ability to support a decentralized and perpetual world, free from centralized human political interference.
Due to immutability, stable property rights, perpetual properties (cannot be shut down) on the chain, and the ability to create flexibly under the premise of following the rules, players with different expertise, interests, and backgrounds are willing to invest long-term and participate in the creative work within the world. This allows for specialization and the formation of various “industry chains” within the world.
Furthermore, because players with different expertise, interests, and backgrounds can participate in the creative work within the world, achieving self-realization (creative expression of self-value) becomes the focus of players’ lives. By creating value for players’ lives and having a decentralized entity behind the world, the economic system of the world can grow and operate organically, promoting a free economy rather than a planned economy where operators define token systems and cash reward systems at will to burn money for short-term user traffic.
In other words, autonomous worlds are more serious and sustainable in terms of attributes compared to games. Rather than content developed solely by one-way consumption companies, autonomous worlds tend to encourage players’ creative behavior through division of labor and cooperation, offering a more profound level of engagement.
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